


Gilbert Blythe and the Big, Neon Elephant in the Room

by thealpacalypse



Category: Green Gables Fables
Genre: (Anne is just too stubborn to know about her feelings yet tbh), F/M, Friendship, Gen, One-Sided Attraction, Platonic Female/Male Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-29
Updated: 2016-01-29
Packaged: 2018-05-17 00:29:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5846917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealpacalypse/pseuds/thealpacalypse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Diana knows. And Gilbert knows that Diana knows. Doesn’t make it any easier to talk about it. But maybe talking about it will make this whole thing easier.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gilbert Blythe and the Big, Neon Elephant in the Room

**Author's Note:**

> Like always, I have the wonderful [Jenna](http://ofcourseitsinsidemyhead.tumblr.com/) to thank for being the best beta ever, and also the reason why this story even exists - she demanded some Gil and Diana broship and I couldn't resist. 
> 
> This fic is set somewhere around the summer before they go to college.

“You love her, don’t you?”

 

Gilbert thinks Diana just puts it as a question instead of a fact because she’s too nice to tell him how obvious and sad he is. He appreciates it, but it also forces him to give an answer, and maybe that’s even more humiliating than just getting told to his face that he’s a lovesick puppy for Anne Shirley.

 

“Diana…”

 

He swallows and presses his lips together. Maybe he shouldn’t talk about this to her of all people – she is Anne’s best friend after all. But then again, she’s his friend too, and what’s the point in denying it if she already knows.

 

Diana doesn’t say anything anymore, she just looks at him with her gentle, patient eyes and waits. Finally, Gilbert breathes in and asks, “How could I not?”

 

Everyone is in love with Anne. It’s like a law of nature, Gilbert thinks, that you have to fall in love with Anne Shirley when you get to know her.

 

Diana finally looks away, gives him a break from her knowing eyes, and then she slowly nods.

 

And Gilbert feels a bit miserable, just for a moment. He doesn’t even know why Diana started this conversation all of a sudden, because she doesn’t seem like she intends to finish it.

 

He sighs. They wanted to have a picnic, Anne and Diana and him, but Anne is running late, so it’s just Gilbert and Diana sitting on the lawn in awkward silence – Gilbert and Diana and a big, neon elephant in the room, thanks to Diana and her sudden question without context.

 

And no, Gilbert won’t endure this. If he has to talk about his feelings for Anne, he will do it properly, all or nothing.

 

“I fell in love with her the day I met her, but I guess you knew that right away, didn’t you?” he asks. “Is that why you and me became friends, because you pitied me?”

 

He chuckles lightly, it’s supposed to be a joke. Diana smiles at him, but she looks a bit guilty as well. “I just… you know I didn’t…” she mumbles and blushes.

 

“Hey, no, it’s okay. I mean I get it; I am very pitiful. Pathetic, really.”

 

He laughs again, but this time it’s mixed with a nervous tingling in his throat.

 

“No word of this to Anne, okay?” he says, trying to swallow down several anxious thoughts at once. “I want to tell her, eventually. I just don’t really know how. I mean, how do you tell your friend you _like_ her without sounding like a jerk?” He pulls a face and mimics his own voice, and inexplicably it’s at least an octave higher than usual. “‘Oh hey Anne, I know we’re friends and all, but I guess I should mention that I also want to kiss every single one of your beautiful freckles.’ Doesn’t really work, does it?”

 

Gilbert bites his lip. He didn’t really plan to admit the most ridiculous of his daydreams to Diana. But gladly Diana is considerate enough not to mention it, even though she definitely has to hold back a giggle.

 

She gives him a small smile instead. “Well, you know Anne. So yeah, that’s probably not really the way to tell her.”

 

 

Gilbert has the feeling that Diana would probably know exactly which way would be the right way, but he’s not sure if he should ask. He’s also not sure if he really _knows_ Anne – he doesn’t even know for sure how she feels about him. Sure, they’ve had some… moments. But then again, Anne is also stubborn and mystical and impossible, so who knows what’s actually going on in her head. (Diana probably knows. But Gilbert doesn’t dare to ask her.)

 

“Oh well, yeah…” He laughs awkwardly. “Do you know what her favourite flowers are? Because I was wondering…”

 

When Diana gives him and alarmed look and nudges him gently with her foot, he trails off and turns his head just in time to see Anne waving at them from a few steps away. He gives Diana one last, stern look that’s supposed to say ‘not one word,’ before he waves back at Anne. Diana shakes her head ever so slightly and rolls her eyes, meaning ‘duh, idiot’, then she raises her hand and cheers, “Hi Anne!”

 

Anne flops down right between Gilbert and Diana, sighing happily and brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “Isn’t today a wonderful day?” she asks. “The birds are singing so happily, and everything is beautiful and green and light, and the world seems like such a friendly and calm place. I wish every day could be like this. But then again, I guess we wouldn’t really appreciate a wonderful day like this anymore if all days were equally magnificent.” She closes her eyes and turns her face towards the sun.

 

Gilbert snorts. “’Hello Gilbert and Diana,’” he mimics Anne sarcastically, “’I’m very sorry I’m fifteen minutes late and also that I apparently forgot to bring food to our picnic.’”

 

Anne opens her eyes again and blinks at him in confusion, as if she just came back from a different plane of reality. “Oh yeah, sorry. I forgot about the picnic.”

 

“Well, how are we supposed to have a picnic without food, Anne Shirley?” Gilbert complains.

 

But Anne just laughs. “Let’s just go and get some ice cream,” she decides. “Gil told me about this place where they apparently have the best ice cream,” she explains to Diana. “Let’s just go there now, all together, okay?”

 

Gilbert tries not to look sour when he nods. So much for his plan to subtly ask Anne out on a date to the ice cream place. If she’s just that oblivious, or if she’s trying to let him down gently, he will probably never know until he finally tells her how he feels. Not yet though, he’s not ready.

 

“Okay,” he sighs and gives in.

 

He gets up and tries to ignore the way his heart pounds when Anne stretches out her arms to him so he can help her up. He knows she is perfectly able to get up on her own, but maybe she just wanted an excuse to hold his hands for a moment. Maybe she’s just as far gone as he is. Maybe. He thinks. Hopes.

 

But Anne Shirley is a whirlwind, and with her, you never know for certain.

 

He feels Diana’s eyes on him and he expects to be annoyed by it, but Diana has the same kind of uncertainty about her that Gilbert feels. It’s somehow reassuring. He smiles at her.

 

Then he pulls Anne up, lets his hands linger in hers for maybe just a second too long, tries to read her face but fails, and somehow finds it comforting that Diana knows now. She knows how this small, insignificant moment makes him feel, and that it has significance for him. He’s no less confused, but maybe a little less scared.

 

In an attempt to get himself together – _goddamn it, Gilbert Blythe, do you have to be such a sap_ – he sighs, straightens his sweater vest and reminds himself that he is very good at being friends with Anne Shirley. “To the ice cream parlor, ladies, follow me!” he proclaims and links arms with Anne and Diana on either side of him.

 

Gilbert smiles fondly at Diana when she catches his eyes. For now, he can leave the big, neon elephant behind and just go out for ice cream with his two amazing friends. And he has Diana to thank for that.


End file.
